This is the movie that started the "new cinema" movement in Portugal, which saw the production of many great movies, influenced by the French "nouvelle vague" and Italian realism. The movie is an insight into the lives of those who lived the rural exodus that started in the 1960s, an exodus that saw millions leave the rural areas of Portugal, where poverty was rampant, in search for a better life in the city or abroad. Following the story of a young man who goes to work in Lisbon and meets a young girl working as a maid, also a former villager form the rural interior, it illustrates just how scary and dangerous a city can be for the rural uneducated folk.
Made during the dictatorship, this is clearly a movie made with a very low budget. Still, the good acting and cinematography, accompanied by the excellent soundtrack by Carlos Paredes, makes for a worthwhile experience. Unmissable.
Review of Os Verdes Anos
